The Quality of Water Used for Irrigation of Agricultural Soil in the Basin of Kolubara River

Soil -Water Jour nal

Soil-Water Journal, 2015, Special Issue, 36-42

The quality of water used for irrigation of agricultural soil in the basin of Kolubara river

Radmila Pivic *, Zoran Dinic, Dragana Josic, Aleksandra Stanojkovic Sebic

Institute of Soil Science, Belgrade, Serbia *Corresponding author e-mail : [email protected] Received : 15.12.2013 Accepted: 14.04.1014 Abstract This paper presents the results of testing the quality of water for irrigation during the growing seasons 2012/2013, in the basin of the Kolubara River, from Belo ševac to Obrenovac, in three monitoring cycles on 16 selected sites belonging to agricultural area under irrigation. The determination of quantity of trace elements and heavy metals Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, B, As, Fe, Hg was performed during mentioned period. The content of trace elements and heavy metals in the samples of water is generally below the maximum allowable concentration (MAC). In the samples No. 2, 3, 4, in the second series of sampling was recorded higher content of As above the MAC, which can be explained by drought, low water levels and potential anthropogenic pollution. In the other two cycles of monitoring are not registered concentrations of tested elements above MAC. Based on the presented and analyzed results of testing of hazardous and harmful substances in the water for irrigation of the Kolubara River, it can be concluded that it can be used for irrigation of crops and soil with restrictions and frequent quality checks during the summer months and control potential sources of pollution from industry. Keywords: Harmful substances, irrigation water, soil

INTRODUCTION The scope of the research conducted in this The major proportion of all water quality paper is the study of quality of irrigation water from degradation worldwide is due to anthropogenic the Kolubara River, complies with the requirements causes (Faniran et al., 2001; Simeonov et al., of FAO, 1954 and U.S. Salinity Laboratory 2003). The accumulation of metals in an aquatic classification, designed for usability evaluation of environment has direct consequences to man and irrigation water (Doneen and Westcot, 1988). to the ecosystem (Fatoki et al., 2005). Irrigation means the artificial watering the soil in In less industrialized areas like the Kolubara basin, order to wet the rhizosphere layer at a time when pollution from human settlements lacking the amount of available soil moisture is insufficient appropriate sanitary infrastructure, partially treated or to meet the optimum energy for crops. Irrigation is untreated wastewater, leachates from refuse dumps a hydro-reclamation measure that aims to improve and from land-use activities such as agriculture, are the physical properties of the soil by adding water the major pollution sources to the surface water to achieve optimum moisture during the growing season and thus achieve optimum yield. It may be (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolubara). In terms of applied during part of the growing season or provision of water resources, Republic of Serbia is during the whole growing season. Irrigation of well-provided. It is estimated that the amount of cultivated plants on agricultural soil involves the use surface water per capita during the year is about 3 of water of appropriate physical, chemical and 2973 m , while the amount of groundwater is 3 biological properties, so it is very important to around 4500 m per year. The water resources are examine the quality of water used for its intended great, but not conveniently distributed in relation to purpose in order to assess the impact on soil and the needs of agricultural production. In Serbia, in plants. Intensification of irrigation depends primarily most locations occurs a deficit of soil moisture during on the provision to the required amount of water the growing season, so that almost everywhere it is of adequate quality. necessary to perform a permanent or temporary

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R. Pivic, Z. Dinic. D. Josic, A. Stanojkovic Sebic

irrigation. It is evident that for the study area the composition are present, therefore, the soils irrigation can be used as an additional measure in formed on them are also very heterogeneous. A the period from July to the end of October. drift along the Kolubara is of finer structure and it preserved its characteristic features. Under The aim of this study is to assess the current influence of high groundwater and hydrophilic water quality of the Kolubara River in order to be vegetation it underwent changes and has evolved used for irrigation of agricultural soil near the to hydro genic soil types. streams and highlight the pollution risk. Kolubara river basin has a form of an irregular MATERIAL AND METHODS quadrilateral, and the distance between the most Description of the study area western point (19° 30' of east longitude) and the Kolubara is a river in western Serbia with the most eastern point (20° 35 ' of east longitude), length of 123 km, and belongs to the rivers with which are in the west-east direction, is 81.2 km. medium-length. Kolubara River rises near Valjevo, The distance between the most northern point from rivers Obnica and Jablanica, and flows into (44° 40' of north latitude) and the most southern the Sava River near Obrenovac. In the Kolubara point (44° 05' of north latitude), which are in the basin, of a 3639 km 2 area, there are rich deposits north-south direction, is 64 km. The highest point of lignite. Through the valley of Kolubara the in the basin is 1346 m, and the lowest - at an railway and highway passes. Kolubara River, as altitude of 73 m. Average altitude of the relief in well as all its tributaries, belongs to the rivers with the Kolubara valley is 276.4 m. the rain - snow water regime. An important Pseudogley soils, which cover the largest area characteristic of the water regime presents the in the Kolubara valley of approximately 25%, are sudden and large fluctuations in water levels and located on flat and gently rolling terrain of usually flows. In geological terms, along the Kolubara ! ancient alluvial river terraces. The most common River alluvial deposits of very heterogeneous are at altitudes of 150-350 m. These are very

Figure 1. Location map of Kolubara valley with selected sa mple sites

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The quality of water used for irrigation of agricultural soil in the basin of Kolubara river ! acidic soils, poor in clay, humus and nutrients. Analytical methods Those soils have unfavorable chemical and water- The measured parameters were determined by air properties and low water permeability. In the the following methods: pH -potentiometric (SRPS Kolubara valley it is very frequent a group of H.Z1.111:1987), electrical conductivity (ECw)- brown soils (Distric Cambisols), which are formed conductiometric (SRPS EN 27888:1993), total on different geological substrates. Large parts of dissolved solids (TDS)-gravimetric (Greenberg et the river valleys in the Kolubara basin are covered al., 1998). The acid-available fraction of heavy with meadow soils (Semigley). Regarding the metals and other toxic elements (As, B, Cd, Cr, nutrient content, they belong to the group of Cu, Hg, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn) was determined using EPA very rich soil (Tanasijevi ć et al.,1966). The average 200.7 methods, as well as an ICAP 6300 ICP annual precipitation in the study area is about optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). The 730 mm and the mean annual temperature is concentration of Hg was determined by a flame relatively high and vary between 11.4-12.5 OC. atomic adsorption analyzer SensAA Dual (GBC Distribution of rainfall during the year is quite Scientific Equipment Pty Ltd, Victoria, Australia). unfavorable. Data processing methods Sampling and collection of water samples The experiment data were presented with mean A total of 48 water samples were collected of three tests with the presented summarized basic from 16 (sixteen) sampling points (Table 1). Water statistics of the dataset. Analysis of the samples were collected in three cycles of interdependence of variables was carried out by sampling, in July and October 2012 and April calculating linear Pearson correlation coefficients. It 2013, using 2000 ml plastic bottles. The sampling has been assumed that the regression modeling of bottles for heavy metal determination were pre- the potential usefulness of the selected vari able soaked overnight with 10% HCl, then, rinsed with (explanatory) to model another variable (explained distilled water and also rinsed using river water variable) determines the absolute value of the high before sample collection. Sampling bottles for the correlation coefficient between these two variables. determination of physico ch emical par am eters T he st atisti cal anal ysis usu ally assumes that if the were cleaned and rinsed using distilled water correlation coefficient is >0.9, a very strong linear only. Preservation of water samples was done by dependence exists; 0.7-0.9 – significant linear adding 2 drops of concentrated HNO 3 to each dependence; 0.4-0.7 – moderate linear dependence; water sample before storage below 4 OC until it 0.2-0.4 – distinct linear dependence, but low; <0.2 was analyzed. – no linear dependence (Goon et al., 1986).

Table 1. Sampling points along the Kolubara river. SamplingSampling ppointoint EEastingasting NorthingNorthing 1 7439160 4945800 2 7438190 4939310 3 7438260 4936220 4 7438710 4934390 5 7440400 4921220 6 7438240 4918480 7 7437410 4917660 8 7437340 4916170 9 7434120 4913000 10 7432880 4912710 11 7429220 4911110 12 7426250 4907780 13 7424500 4905570 14 7421370 4905180 15 7417600 4904100 16 7415280 4903790

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R. Pivic, Z. Dinic. D. Josic, A. Stanojkovic Sebic

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION well to a class for irrigation water. By classification of U.S. Salinity Laboratory, all of the samples belong to The seasonal and annual averages of the C S class of water, where ECw values range physicochemical characteristics are given in Table 2. 2 1 from 0.250 to 0.750 dSm -1 and, as such, it can be The pH is an important factor that determines the used for irrigation of the plants with medium suitability of water for a variety of purposes, inter alia, tolerance to salt. for irrigation. The tested samples showed pH values from neutral to slightly alkaline during the second Total dissolved solids (TDS) are an important cycle of sampling a growing trend (Figure 2). This characteristic for determination of the quality of water may be a drought which influences on an increased for irrigation because it expresses the total ! flo w of waste water fro m a gricult ure and household s, concen tration of solu ble s alts i n water. D issol ved solids and a s we ll on inte nsive mic rob ial a ctivity . in water include all inorganic salts, silica and soluble

Table 2. Average values of the water quality parameters of irrigation water, along with the standard limits by Republic of Serbia and irrigation water by US and FAO.

Standard limits Official Gazette Parameters Mean±STDEV Ayers and U.S irrigation of Republic Westcot, 1994 water quality Serbia, 1994/2012 pH 8.19±0.13 6.5-8.4 ECw 25˚C (dSm-1) 0.43±0.09 0.7-2 <0.7 TDS (mg.l-1) 346.15±122.26 500-1500 <450 As (mg.l-1) 0.008±0.015 0.05 B (mg.l-1) 0.109±0.085 1.0 Cd (mg.l-1) bdl 0.01 0.01 Cr (mg.l-1) 0.001±0.001 0.1 0.5 Cu (mg.l-1) 0.001±0.001 0.2 0.1 Fe (mg.l-1) 0.072±0.045 5.0 5.0 Ni (mg.l-1) 0.003±0.001 0.2 0.1 Pb (mg.l-1) 0.003±0.002 5.0 0.1 Zn (mg.l-1) 0.022±0.041 2.0 1.0 Hg (mg.l-1) bdl 0.001

Conductivity is a measure of the ability of an organic matter (Atekwana et al., 2004; Ahipathy and aqueous solution to carry an electric current. Puttaiah, 2006). Pure water must be free from most Increasing levels of conductivity and cat ions are the suspended particles, which are responsible for products of decomposition and mineralization of turbidity. TDS was the highest in summer due to organic materials (Begum and Harikrishnarai, 2008). evaporation and reduced intake, which contributed The aqueous salt solution and dissociated are broken to an increase in concentration, and had the down into positive and negative ions. Electrical minimum value in the rainy season, due to the conductivity in natural waters is generally with values increased entry of rain and a corresponding reduction less than usual. Measurement of the conductivity is in concentration at all locations (Figure 4). The performed at a specific temperature and it contents of trace elements and heavy metals in the corresponds to the presence of dissolved salts. These samples of water are generally below the maximum are most commonly sodium chloride, and may be allowable concentration (MAC). In sampling point No. present, and sodium sulphate, calcium chloride, 2,3,4 in the second series of sampling it was recorded calcium sulfate, magnesium chloride, etc. Salts an increased arsenic content above the MAC (0.0595 dissolved in the water influence on increase of the mg l -1 ; 0.0634 mg l -1 ; 0.0641 mg l -1 ) (Figure 5). As it water conductivity values. In all three cycles of is in the zone below the rural village, it is possible that analyzing the water from Kolubara River (Figure 3), this increase was caused by increased anthropogenic according to FAO classification, the samples belong activity, since in other series an increased content of to a class of water for drinking and irrigation, and as this element was not registered. Correlation

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Soil -Water Jour nal

The quality of water used for irrigation of agricultural soil in the basin of Kolubara river

coefficients between various physicochemical significant negative correlation to all studied parameters are shown in Table 3. It shows the parameters except to the concentration of Cr, Fe and correlation between the samples and the Zn. ECw values were positively correlated to all characteristics of the water where the pH value has a studied parameters except to the concentration of Cr, significant negative correlation to all studied Cu and Fe. TDS values show a positive correlation to parameters except to the concentration of Cr, Fe and the concentration of As, B, Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb, and a Zn. ECw values were positively correlated to all negative to the concentration of Cr, Fe and Zn in the studied parameters except to the concentration of Cr, samples of water. Cu and Fe. TDS values show a positive correlation to The obtained results also implies on significant linear the concentration of As, B, Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb, and a dependence for ECw-B in the studied water samples, negative to the concentration of Cr, Fe and Zn in the moderate linear dependence for ECw-TDS; ECw-Pb; samples of water. TDS-As; TDS-B; TDS-Pb; As-B; As-Pb; B-Cd; BNi-Cr; B-Pb Correlation coefficients between various and distinct linear dependence for ECw-As; ECw-Cd; physicochemical parameters are shown in Table 3. It ECw-Ni; TDS-Cd; TDS-Ni; As-Cd; As-Ni; Cd-Pb; Cr-Fe; shows the correlation between the samples and the Cr-Ni; Fe-Zn; Ni-Pb; Pb-Zn while for the rest of characteristics of the water where the pH value has a observed parameters there is no linear dependence.

Sampling sites Samling sites 12345678910111213141516 7,5 12345678910111213141516 0,200 7,6 0,250 7,7 0,300 7,8 0,350 7,9 0,400 )

1 8 -

m 0,450 S d H

8,1 ( p 0,500 w

8,2 C E 0,550 8,3 0,600 sampling I July 2012. 8,4 sampling I July 2012. 0,650 sampling II October 2012. sampling II October 2012. 8,5 sampling III April 2013. 0,700 sampling III April 2013.

Figure 2. pH value of th e tested water samples in batches Figure 3. ECw value of the tested water samples in of monitoring batches of monitoring !

Sampling sites 12345678910111213141516 Sampling sites 140 12345678910111213141516 0

) 240

1 - l

. g m (

s 340 d i l o s

d e v l 440 ) o

s 1 - s l i

. d

g l a m t (

540 s T " A " 640 sampling I July 2012. sampling II October 2012. sampling I July 2012 sampling III April 2013. sampling II October 2012 sampling III April 2013

Figure 4. TDS value of the t ested water samples in batches Figure 5. As concentration of the tested water samples in of monitoring batches of monitoring

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Soil -Water Journ al

R. Pivic, Z. Dinic. D. Josic, A. Stanojkovic Sebic

Table 3. Correlation coefficients between water characteristics in Kolubara river (n=48) pH ECw TDS As B Cd Cr Cu Fe Ni Pb Zn

------pH 1 0.069 0.031 0.235 0.058 0.427 0.646 0.475 0.043 0.224 0.506 0.177 - - - ECw 1 0.465 0.221 0.725 0.399 0.261 0.616 0.194 0.437 0.144 0.415 - - - TDS 1 0.656 0.677 0.352 0.071 0.252 0.594 0.329 0.418 0.068 - - - - As 1 0.510 0.373 0.291 0.453 0.159 0.014 0.183 0.128 - - - B 1 0.660 0.050 0.608 0.486 0.237 0.453 0.072

- - - - Cd 1 0.348 0.019 0.162 0.314 0.510 0.125 - - - Cr 1 0.264 0.255 0.173 0.133 0.002 - - - - Cu 1 0.239 0.103 0.116 0.152 - Fe 1 0.065 0.303 0.124 - Ni 1 0.246 0.808

Pb 1 0.254 Zn 1 CONCLUSION Results from water samples showed that the Begum, A., Harikrishna R., 2008. Study on the Quality of concentration of heavy metals in the water of the river Water in Some Streams of Cauvery River. J. Chem. 2, 377-384. Kolubara in most of the samples analyzed is within the Determination of electrical conductivity SRPS EN MAC values. Variations of the content of heavy metal 27888:1993. concentrations in the water are the result of a wide "Doneen, L.D., Westcot, D.W., 1988. FAO Irrigation range of human activities (primarily agriculture) in the practice and water management Irrigation and Drainage " study area and water levels throughout the year. Paper 1, Rev.1. Duncan, R.R.,Carow R.N., Huck, M., 2000.USGA Green Based on the obtained and analyzed results of Section Record, September /October 2000, 14. testing the quality of water for irrigation from the Kolubara River, it can be concluded that it can be FAO, 1954. U.S. Salinity Laboratory Staff. used for irrigation of crops and soil with frequent Faniran, J.A., Ngceba, F.S., Bhat, R.B., Oche, C.Y., 2001. quality checks during the summer months. An assessment of the water quality of the Isinuka springs in the Transkei region of Eastern Cape, Republic of South Africa. ACKNOWLEDGMENT Water SA 27 (2) 241-250. This research was financially supported by the Fatoki, O.S., Lujiza, N., Ogunfowokun, O.A. ,2005. Trace metal pollution in Umtata river, Water S.A. 28(2), 183. Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of Serbia [Project TR 37006] Goon A. M., Gupta, M. K., Dasgupta, B. ,1986. Fundmental of Statistics, The World Press Pvt. Ltd. Calcutta, Vol REFERENCES I. Ahipathy, M.V., Puttaiah, E.T., 2006. Ecological Greenberg, A.E., Clesceri, L.S.,Eato, A.D. , 1998. Standard characteristics of Vrishabhavathy River in Bangalore (India) Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, Environ Geol 49: 1217–1222. American Public Health Association, 20th ed.,Washington, U.S.A. Atekwana, E.A., Atekwana Estella A.,Rowe, R.S., Werkema, D.D. Jr.,Legall, F.D., 2004. The relationship of total dissolved http://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolubara solids measurements to bulk electrical conductivity in an aquifer Konstandinova, G., Georgieva, N., Yaneva, Z., Petkov, contaminated with hydrocarbon, J Appl Geophys 56: 281–294. G.,Todorova, M., Miteva,Ch. , 2013. Tundzha River water Ayers, R.S., Wescot, D.W.,1994. Water Quality for quality as a source for irrigation in agriculture Bulg J Agric Sci, Agriculture, Irrigation and Drainage paper 29, Rev.1. 19 (No 4) 2013, 635-643.

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The quality of water used for irrigation of agricultural soil in the basin of Kolubara river

Measurement of pH - Potentiometric method SRPS Tanasijevi ć, Đ., Antonovi ć, G., Aleksi ć, Ž., Pavi ćevi ć, N., H.Z1.111:1987. Filipovi ć, Đ., Spasojevi ć, M., 1966. The Soils of the west and northwestern Serbia, Institute of Soil Science in Top čider, Official Gazette of Republic Serbia, 23/94, 1994 and Belgrade, Yugoslavia (in Serbian). #50/2012, 2012. Simeonov, V, Stratis, J.A., Samara, C., Zachariadis, G.,Voutsa. D., Anthemidis, A., Sofoniou, M., Kouimtzis, T., 2003. Assessment of the surface water quality in Northern Greece. Water Research 37: 4119–4124.